Craftzine.com blog

Sewing Machine 911

2012-05-25T23:00:00Z

Get to know your sewing machine, thanks to Claudia Miller and her free online course on Craftsy. You can view Sewing Machine 911 as many times as you wish as you familiarize yourself with sewing machine basics.

Make Your Own Fire Pit

2012-05-25T22:00:00Z

This is one of the coolest summer projects I have see yet! The Art of Doing Stuff shows us how to make a freaking fire pit on the cheap! Now all I need is the ingredients to make 'Smores and you know, a New York City apartment with a backyard....

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Review: HP TopShot LaserJet Pro M275

2012-05-25T19:00:00Z

Photo: HP TopShot

The HP TopShot LaserJet Pro M275 is not your average scanner/printer. Unlike a 2D scanning bed, which can only take images of items that can lie flat, the HP TopShot has a camera and lights attached to an arm that takes pictures from directly above the scanning bed (six images are captured and automatically combined into a one image.) This allows the user to document anything that fits reasonably under the camera's arm, which means the HP TopShot is ideal for documenting small 3D works that would be impossible to document with an average scanner (like a slice of pizza).

The HP TopShot's 3D scanning capability definitely has the potential to be very useful to crafters who work on a smaller scale and have trouble documenting their work. It's like a miniature photo studio that also streamlines the process of posting images of projects by directly connecting to the internet.

One of my favorite ways to document 3D work is as animated GIF files. Not only is it a way to quickly show off a 3D piece from many different angles, but it can add character to the work itself. I discovered that the TopShot it is an amazing tool for creating high quality stop motion animated GIF files. This also means that the TopShot could be a great way to document the progression of a small project in a clean white space away from the rest of your work-in-progress mess.

Here are some animated GIFs that I made with the HP TopShot when I was working on my tutorial for The Pizzoetrope:

The HP TopShot can take longer to scan and send an image to the computer than an average digital camera takes to display a picture but, because you can check the image quality right away, it saves time on having to go back and take pictures again if they turn out to be blurry. Plus, the HP TopShot comes with software applications that allow you to send images directly to online storage and auction sites. So if you are someone who uses a digital camera to document small 3D work, like jewelry, and then upload it to your computer and post it on the web later, the process of documenting your work could be better and more efficient with the HP TopShot.

It's worth noting that the HP TopShot is probably not for everyone. It is an unusual scanner that is ideal for a specific type of work, but it also has limitations. Scanned documents are impressive for a digital photograph, but still not as good as most of the flatbed scanners that I've worked with. I scanned several documents and was able to read them and easily make out the signatures on them. I also scanned several images from magazines and found that the image quality was usually quite good, but if there was an irregularity on the surface of a glossy magazine page I often got a reflection from the lights that could ruin the scanned image.

The bottom line is that it is a 3D scanner that also happens to accommodate 2D scanning needs. There are lots of good 2D inkjet scanner/printers out there already, but if you are someone who wants to document smaller 3D work for display on the internet and can use the efficiency of a laser printer, then this printer might be perfect for you.

For more examples of the quality of image that the HP TopShot is capable of, take a look at the HP TopShot's Photostream.

Handmade Gnomes

2012-05-25T18:00:00Z

Matsutake does it again with these adorable little handmade gnomes! The tutorial is so easy it is wordless. The word I would use would be cute.

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Memorial Day Flag Cookie Platter

2012-05-25T17:00:00Z

We've got a LOT of plans for Memorial Day weekend this year - what about you guys? I love this take on cookie artisan Maryann's flag cookie platter by Lisa of the Barefoot Baker. Lisa shows you how to ice these beautiful cookies that results in a beautiful arrangement.

Via Tonya Staab

How-To: Love Note Potholder

2012-05-25T16:00:00Z

Looking for a potholder that sends the right message? This love note potholder from Beverly at Flamingo Toes gets right to the point, don't you think?

Head over to her site to see the full tutorial!

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How-To: Perler Bead Bracelets

2012-05-25T14:00:00Z

We're heading in to summer, and that means I'm collecting ideas for projects that I can do with the kids while they are out of school. I'm bookmarking this collection of perler bead bracelet tutorials that Helena of Craft and Creativity gathered as something to try with my daughter. The bold colors and geometric designs are perfect, and the techniques look challenging enough to keep it interesting, but simple enough to keep it from getting frustrating.

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Video: Bedazzled Sunglasses

2012-05-24T23:00:00Z

Our own Meg Allan Cole is concerned about your sunglasses. She's worried that your sunglasses are too plain to properly enjoy this holiday weekend. Luckily, she and the gals from Emotistyle have a solution - bedazzled shades! Check out Meg's video, after the jump, for an easy upgrade to your current sunglasses. If you like rhinestones, you'll love this.

Chevron Earrings

2012-05-24T22:00:00Z

Make yourself a new accessory for the weekend with this how-to by Creme` de la Craft.

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Recipe: Pancakes on a Stick

2012-05-24T21:00:00Z

Pancakes are a frequent weekend delicacy in our house, and I can only imagine how my kids would flip out if I prepared them lollipop-style. Melissa from No. 2 Pencil has a recipe over on Tatertos and Jello for making pancakes on a stick, perfect for special occasions or just a random weekend morning.

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Help Craft a New Cosplay Wardrobe for ThinkGeek's Timmy

2012-05-24T19:00:00Z

One of my all-time favorite sources for geeky goods is ThinkGeek, and their trusty monkey mascot, Timmy, is in need of some crafty assistance.

Timmy has been re-arranging the costumes in his cosplay trunk. We know what this means. San Diego Comic-Con is coming and we need stitchers, knitters, crochet hookers, hot gluers, haberdashers, and crafty-makers for Timmy's Volunteer Costume Corps!
We started this project two years ago and we still cannot adequately thank the volunteers that have made Timmy's current extensive collection possible. Each and every costume we've received has elicited squees of delight (video proof of the squees) and they've served us extremely well over the years. With your costumes, Timmy has traveled the world as an ambassador of geekery. He's met the shiniest people and probably flung poo in places that we will never see with our own eyes.

Do you have the time and skillz to take Timmy's cosplay collection from the trunk to the wardrobe? Scroll down for our costume wish list, take a look at his existing collection on Flickr, and sign up below to volunteer!

Be sure to check out some of the amazing costumes that have been made in the past, including the Tauntan/Luke Snowuit one pictured above (made by Mara Saxer).I can't wait to see what Timmy will be wearing next!

How-To: Captain America Tie Dye Shirt

2012-05-24T17:00:00Z

This is an impressive tie-dye project! Alexa, over at ILovetoCreate, came up with this tutorial to make a Captain America T-shirt that any fan would feel proud to wear at a showing of The Avengers.

Via ManMadeDIY

Painted Vase

2012-05-24T16:00:00Z

Spruce up an old vase by painting it in this pretty pattern by Sweet C's Designs.

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How-To: Crocheted Seed Bead Bracelet

2012-05-24T14:00:00Z

Create a quick and pretty bracelet with this crocheted seed bead bracelet tutorial from EVEnl at Cut Out + Keep!

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Nachos Tattoos

2012-05-24T03:30:00Z

It should come as no surprise that the team at Nachos NY have created their own line of nachos tattoos. I mean, they have their own guacamole tote bag, after all. The group teamed up with Perry Shall to create these illustrations that are the ultimate in grown-up temporary tattoos.